AIDS and the Enigma of Bisexuality in the Dominican Republic

Abstract

This paper discusses the historical roots of bisexual behavior in the Dominican Republic the construction of masculinity phallicism and homophobia clandestine bisexual arrangements bisexuality among homotropic sex workers and bisexual behavior and the risk of HIV. Bi-eroticism bisexual behavior and bisexuality seem to be inherent in the social construction of masculinity and gender-role relationships among many Dominican males. There remains however a strong stigma to the publicly known receptive partner in male homosexual intercourse. A complex matrix of phallicist homophobic pederastic and xenophilic attitudes characteristic of modern Dominican culture both attracts and repels young men from each other. That conflict most likely reinforced by a fear of womens likely homophobic attitudes and behavior tends to sustain among bisexual males a high level of impulsive clandestine behavior deceptiveness to female partners and infidelity to male partners with short-lived affective bonds guilt and self-denial. Research indicates that no less than two of every three men who have sex with men also have sex with women. The behavior of these men can facilitate the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. Extensive and frequent unprotected receptive anal sex for money is practiced by at least 33% of these men mostly lower-class youths.